A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
by Apollonia
Summary: Buffy is turned into her four year old self, so the Scoobies send her to the only person who can protect her. Comedy abounds. B/A
1. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

DISCLAIMER: I don't them. I wish I had a clever way of saying this, but I really don't. I don't own them or anything to do with them. Did I mention I don't own them?  
  
SPOILERS: Pretty much everything so far. But I think we should assume that Buffy never died. Joyce, however, has.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, this is in response to Victoria's challenge, posted last year on BA_Fluff and now posted at FF.net for your reading pleasure.  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes please. Again, I don't have a fancy way of saying it. Please, send me feedback, OK? Do you want me to grovel? Do you?  
  
  
  
A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes  
  
***  
  
Buffy sat, idly chewing the end of her pen, wishing that sometime soon, the class would be over and she would be free to go back to her room and sleep. Since coming back to college, she had found it increasingly boring and frustrating. However hard she tried, she couldn't escape the fact that now she had to be a substitute parent to Dawn, and she felt now that sitting in a class about Mediaeval France was not the best use of her time. Finally, the class was over and Willow nudged her friend.  
  
"Time to go, Buffy."  
  
"At last!" Buffy grabbed her stuff and began walking swiftly from the lecture hall. Willow ran to catch up with her.  
  
"Buffy, what's the matter?"  
  
"What am I doing here?" Buffy asked her. "I shouldn't be here, I should be collecting Dawn from school, making her dinner, nagging her about homework! I shouldn't be sitting here learning stuff I really don't need!" Willow took Buffy's arm gently.  
  
"I know it's hard. But you can't stop your life because of all that's happened. You have to still be Buffy. Not just Big Sister."  
  
"I don't want to be Big Sister! I don't want to be mommy, I want to be Buffy! I want to be a little kid again so I don't have to worry about anything anymore!" She railed angrily.  
  
"I want to be little Buffy, the Buffy that didn't see the world as a horrible, dark, demon infested place!" She said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Willow led her down the hall.  
  
"I know you do. I want that sometimes too. But we grow up. That's how the world works. And you're right, it does suck."  
  
"I wish I could be a little kid again." Buffy said, so stubbornly, you could see exactly how Little Buffy had been.  
  
***  
  
The Sorcerer's apprentice giggled with glee as he ran across the lawns of UC Sunnydale. He made his way into a old building and down into the basement.  
  
"Master! I have it!"  
  
"You have found the Slayer's weakness?"  
  
"Yes! She wants to be a child."  
  
"What?" The Sorcerer stood, rising to his full height of seven feet. "That's not a weakness!"  
  
"No master, but she wished for it! We could make her into a small child. How could she mount a defence against us if she's four years old?" The apprentice said, hoping that his master would like the idea. Either that or he was about to be thrown against a wall again.  
  
"I like it!" The Sorcerer said, laughing a deep, evil laugh. "We'll do it tonight as she sleeps."  
  
***  
  
Buffy finally slid into bed at half past two. The Sorcerer and his apprentice were not in the best of moods, having waited outside her home for hours. Sleep itself came easily to the exhausted slayer, and the Sorcerer began his wicked deed.  
  
***  
  
The sun was already shining when Dawn woke up the next morning. She was surprised that Buffy hadn't yet come into her room to wake up her up and moan at her about being so slow. Wondering if something was wrong, she knocked on Buffy's door. She got no answer, so cautiously opened the door.  
  
"Buffy?" Buffy?" The curtains were drawn tightly across the windows, and it was dark in the room. Dawn could just about make out Buffy's sleeping form in the bed, and so went over to the windows, throwing the curtains open.  
  
"Go away!" A petulant voice called from the bed. Dawn turned.  
  
"Buffy, wake up!" She said. Buffy sat up. Dawn screamed. Buffy screamed.  
  
***  
  
"What happened?" Willow asked. She was staying at the Summers House, and heard Dawn's scream. Then, Willow stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What the...." She trailed off. Lying in Buffy's bed was a little girl, no more than four years old.  
  
"Where's Mommy?" She asked, yawning.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
"Mommy. Mommy always makes Buffy breakfast." She said.  
  
"You're Buffy?" Dawn asked. Buffy nodded, her dark blonde hair bobbing up and down.  
  
Willow looked closely at the girl. It really was Buffy. Anyone who knew Buffy at all could see that. Her eyes were the same, impatient, fiery, daring anyone to cross her.  
  
"Well Buffy..." What was Willow going to say about her mother? "Mommy isn't here at the moment, but I'm going to look after you, OK?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Willow. I'm your friend. Don't you remember me?" Willow kicked herself. Buffy was four again, of course she didn't remember Willow.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded. "Does my Mommy like you?"  
  
"Yes. This is Dawn." Willow said, "Your mommy likes her as well."  
  
"Hi Buffy," Dawn said, playing along with Willow.  
  
"Now, we need to get you dressed." Willow said.  
  
"No! Buffy wants to stay in bed." She said. Willow sighed. This really was going to be hard work.  
  
"We have some of Buffy's old clothes up in the attic. I'll go get something." Dawn said. Willow smiled gratefully.  
  
***  
  
Everyone turned up at Buffy's house after Willow's rather frantic phone calls. Giles was first, as you might expect, slowed down slightly by the books he was carrying.  
  
"Who are you?" Buffy called. Dawn had found her one entire outfit, but little else that would fit four year old Buffy.  
  
"Hello... Buffy. I'm Giles." He said, smiling at the little girl, who was sat watching re-runs of cartoons she liked. She nodded, accepting the man, who followed Willow into the kitchen.  
  
"How long has she been like this?" He asked.  
  
"Dawn went into her room this morning and found her. She was fine last night, I saw her just before she went to bed."  
  
"This is most curious."  
  
"The thing is Giles, yesterday Buffy was talking about how she wanted to be a child again."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Most interesting. We'll have a lot of research to do." The doorbell rang.  
  
"And that's the research party." Willow said, going to let Xander, Anya and Tara into the house.  
  
"Hey Buff!" Xander said, as if Buffy had always been four. He sat with her, and within seconds, had the little girl cackling with laughter.  
  
***  
  
But time began to pass, the sun set, and the Scooby Gang found itself running up against brick walls. They couldn't find a single thing that could possibly do this.  
  
"Giles!" Willow said. "What if someone's done this to make it easier to... Kill her?"  
  
"It's certainly a possibility. Or perhaps not to kill her, but to keep her out of action while they do... Whatever it is they want to do."  
  
"She's in danger?" Xander whispered so the girl didn't hear.  
  
"I should say so." Giles said.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Willow said, her brow furrowing in thought.  
  
"I don't think she should stay in Sunnydale. Too many people know where she lives, where she can be found."  
  
"Where can she go?" Anya asked.  
  
"Los Angeles." Willow said firmly. From the looks of the assembled party, she continued.  
  
"Come on! What choice do we have? Nobody round here really knows Angel, or where he can be found now. And he can protect her. Not only that, but he will protect her."  
  
"Fine." Giles nodded a little reluctantly. Xander agreed with a great deal more reluctance.  
  
"Xander, she's four years old. She's not going to be all over Angel." Willow pointed out.  
  
"You call Angel then. I have to arrange for transportation." Giles said.  
  
"What?"  
  
***  
  
Spike's car screeched to a halt outside the Summers house, narrowly missing the mailbox. He got out smirking.  
  
"So, you Scoobies need my help?" He said. They were standing on the porch waiting.  
  
"Hi Spike." Dawn called. Spike winked at her.  
  
"Hey nibblet." He approached. Just then, a little blonde girl came tearing out of the house, laughing manically.  
  
"Buffy?" Spike asked, a mixture of humour and curiosity in his voice.  
  
"Buffy," Giles called. She paid no attention. "Buffy!" He called sternly. She still ignored him, but continued to run around.  
  
"Xander, I told you not to give her Coke to drink." He glared at the boy.  
  
"Sorry. She only had a little sip of mine." He said.  
  
"Spike, we need you to take Buffy to Angel in LA."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We don't know what caused Buffy to become her four year old self, and until we find out who did it, why they did it and how we can reverse it, she's not safe." Giles said solemnly.  
  
Spike nodded, knowing now was not the time to ask for financial terms.  
  
"Sure. Buffy," He called in his curious cockney accent. She turned to him immediately.  
  
"Are you Spike?" She asked. He nodded, smirking.  
  
"And how do you know that?" He asked, kneeling to her level.  
  
"Xander told me all about you. How you have silly hair. And you do." She reached up and ruffled his peroxide blonde hair. Spike looked annoyed, but looked into the laughing girl's face and had to laugh himself.  
  
"Is this OK, Spike?" Willow asked. "We wouldn't have asked, but... We really don't know what to do."  
  
"Don't worry, Red. I'll look after her on the way to LA." Spike said, his face honest and serious for once. "Regardless of what you think I am, I wouldn't let anyone hurt Baby Slayer now, would I?" Spike stood up and took Buffy's hand.  
  
"Wanna come on a road-trip, little Buff?" The girl giggled.  
  
"You have a funny voice too."  
  
"No Buff, it's not funny, it's cool." Spike corrected.  
  
"Cool?"  
  
"That's right." He said, opening the back door of his car for her. He got into the driver's seat and leaned round to fasten her seatbelt.  
  
"You have a funny car."  
  
"Yes, I do." Spike smiled. If she was going to be like this all the way to Los Angeles, he wasn't sure he could stand it. At least she couldn't hit him very hard now.  
  
***  
  
"Ow!" Spike cried out. "Buffy, how many times have I told you? Don't hit Spike when he's driving, OK?"  
  
"Spikey! I wanna go to the bathroom!" She yelled in his ear. He growled at her, but instead of being scared, she merely giggled.  
  
"Spikey growled at me!" She shouted. "Buffy want to go to the bathroom!" Spike growled again, but exited the freeway and found a Burger King.  
  
"Come on Buff, let's go." He held her hand securely as he took her inside. He took her as far as the door to the female restroom.  
  
"OK then Buff." He said. She didn't move. "You need help?" He asked, praying that the answer would be no. Instead, Buffy nodded.  
  
"Mommy says I got to learn buttons, but I can't do it." She pouted, annoyed at herself. So Spike took her inside and undid the buttons on her dress.  
  
"OK?" Buffy nodded and thankfully went into the stall on her own.  
  
A short time later she emerged, but found herself too short to reach the sink. Spike turned on the tap and lifted her up so she could wash her hands. Then, he redid the buttons on her dress, and led her outside.  
  
"Can I have something to eat, Spikey?"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"The thing with the toy!" She said, her face lighting up. "I want a toy!"  
  
"Fine." Spike turned to the young man at the counter and placed an order. He hated handing over money, but was becoming strangely fond of the little girl.  
  
***  
  
Spike finally pulled up outside the Hyperion Hotel two and a half hours after leaving Buffy's house, thanks to numerous toilet stops. When he opened the door for Buffy, several empty food and drink cartons fell out.  
  
"Is this it?" Buffy asked. She bent her neck back to see to the top of the building.  
  
"It's awful big." She said.  
  
"I know. Bit much if you ask me. What do you say we go inside, Buff?" Spike suggested, knowing that Angel and his crew would be waiting. She looked a little apprehensive.  
  
"I don't know." She said. "I want to go home." She looked like she might cry, a little intimidated by the rather large building looming over her. Spike knelt down to look her directly in the eye.  
  
"Buffy?" He asked gently. "Do you like me?" She nodded. "Do you trust me?" She nodded again.  
  
"Good. I promise you that inside is someone who can look after you."  
  
"Mommy?" She perked up. Spike's heart fell. No, it wouldn't ever be her mother again.  
  
"No, not Mummy."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Someone who cares about you lots and lots." He told her. "OK? Why don't we just go inside." He looked at her scared face. "If you still don't like it, I'll see what I can do. Maybe you can come home with me." He hoped she'd stay with Angel. He opened the door and led her inside.  
  
"Angel?" He called out into the empty lobby. From Angel's office a woman emerged.  
  
"Cordelia."  
  
"Spike." She nodded, almost cordial.  
  
Buffy looked up and saw one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen in her short life.  
  
"Hello Buffy." Cordelia said.  
  
Willow had explained on the phone that Buffy was now her four year old self, and Cordelia had very little problem accepting that. Damn, she'd spent too long living a weird life.  
  
"Hello," Buffy said shyly, still holding Spike's hand tightly.  
  
"I'm Cordelia." Cordelia smiled gently at her. A moment later, two men emerged from the office. They were huge! Buffy was a little frightened.  
  
"This is Wesley and Gunn." Cordelia told her. They both smiled and waved at her.  
  
The one with dark skin winked at her, and if she hadn't been so scared, she would have laughed. Then, another man came out of the room. He was tall and commanding. Buffy's heart began to beat wildly and she gripped Spike's hand even tighter. He squeezed it back and she looked up. He smiled and winked at her.  
  
"Hello Buffy." The man said.  
  
He had a deep voice, not entirely unfamiliar to her. But he was so much bigger than her, he towered over her. Not even her daddy was as big as this man.  
  
"H... Hello." She managed. He smiled. Suddenly she felt less scared. This man had a nice smile.  
  
"Did Spike take care of you on the way here?" The man asked. Buffy merely nodded shyly. He smiled again.  
  
"Thank you Spike." Angel said. Spike nodded, kneeling down to speak to Buffy.  
  
"I have to go home now, OK?" He told her gently. Her eyes filled with fear. "Don't worry Buffy, Angel's going to look after you. Aren't you, Angel?" Angel nodded.  
  
"I don't want to stay here. Can I go home with you?"  
  
"Don't you want to stay here with Angel and Cordelia?" Spike asked. Buffy shook her head.  
  
"No. I want to go with you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you're funny." Spike smiled.  
  
"Angel can be funny." He smirked at Angel. "It's just not always intentional. Tell you what, I'll come and see you soon, OK?" Buffy nodded. Spike stood up and nodded to Angel.  
  
"That's OK, right?"  
  
"Sure Spike." Angel nodded. Then he knelt down to speak to Little Buffy.  
  
***  
  
His heart flipped a little. She did look terrified. At least it wasn't twenty year old Buffy in four year old Buffy's body. That would be weird. And he knew Buffy wouldn't be pleased.  
  
"Are you tired, Buffy?" He asked. She certainly looked it. She yawned and nodded.  
  
"Well, why don't we take you to your room?"  
  
"OK."  
  
"Bye Buffy." Spike said as Angel began to lead her away.  
  
"Spikey! I don't want Spikey to go!" She said loudly.  
  
Angel glared at Spike, who was trying valiantly not to smirk triumphantly. She might be only four right now, but she'd just picked him instead of Angel.  
  
"Buff, you need to stay here. Remember what I told you? Angel's going to look after you much better than I could." That was true, Spike realised. Buffy broke away from Angel to run and attach herself to Spike.  
  
"You'll come back soon? Promise?" She looked up at him with her big Buffy eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I promise." He smiled. "But only if you're a good girl and go with Angel now." Buffy nodded.  
  
"OK." She relaxed her grip on Spike. On impulse, Spike hugged the little girl tightly.  
  
"You'll be OK, I promise." He whispered to her, before releasing her and leaving swiftly, before the girl had a chance to object again.  
  
***  
  
Buffy looked around at her surroundings. Perhaps it wasn't so bad. She realised that the room was awfully pretty, with big red sofas. She yawned.  
  
"Why don't we take you up to bed, Buffy?" Angel said, realising how ridiculous that sounded.  
  
Were there many things in the world he'd rather do than take Buffy to her bed? When she was grown up, of course. Now she was just a tired little girl that Angel needed to protect.  
  
"Is it very far away?"  
  
"No, Buffy, it isn't." Angel smiled sweetly at her. Buffy took the hand he offered and allowed the big, slightly intimidating man with the nice smile take her up the stairs.  
  
"If Angel doesn't end up in therapy after this, I know I will." Cordelia said to Wes and Gunn as soon as Angel and Buffy were out of sight.  
  
*** 


	2. Bedtime Stories and Little Pink Pigs

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes- Chapter Two  
  
***  
  
"Will you tell me a story?" Buffy asked. She had changed into the pair of pyjamas Dawn had found in the attic. Angel reminded himself that he needed to get the little girl some clothes tomorrow.  
  
"What kind of story?"  
  
"A bedtime story. A fairy story." She said.  
  
"Oh, I'm not sure I know any fairy stories." Angel said. Buffy looked horrified.  
  
"You must know fairy stories! Everybody knows fairy stories!"  
  
"What kind of stories?"  
  
"Cinderelly! And, and..." Buffy tried to remember some. "Snow White and the dwarf... And..."  
  
"I know a story about a princess." Angel offered.  
  
"Yeah! Tell me a story all about a princess."  
  
"All right then. Are you comfortable?" He asked her. She nodded.  
  
"OK. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess."  
  
"This is a good story." She commented.  
  
"This princess was the most beautiful girl in all the land. She had long blonde hair and pretty hazel eyes."  
  
"What was her name?" Buffy interrupted again.  
  
"Her name? She was called Princess Buffy."  
  
"That's my name! I'm Buffy!"  
  
"I know." Angel smiled at her. "And Princess Buffy lived in a big castle."  
  
"With her Mommy?" Buffy asked. Angel nodded.  
  
"With her Mommy. And then one day, a prince came along, asking for her hand in marriage."  
  
"He only wanted to marry her hand?" Buffy asked. "That doesn't sound right."  
  
"No, Buffy," Angel laughed. "He wanted to marry all of her, but he had to ask first."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But the Princess said no."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, because she thought that the prince only wanted to marry her because she was a princess."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And the princess was in love with someone else."  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
"Well, there was another prince, much more handsome than the other prince, and she was in love with him."  
  
"What did he look like?"  
  
"He had dark hair and..." Angel faltered. How should he know what fairytale princes looked like?  
  
"Big brown eyes?" Buffy asked.  
  
"And big brown eyes." Angel agreed.  
  
"Was he tall?"  
  
"Yes, he was tall."  
  
"And could he ride horses?"  
  
"Yes, he could ride horses."  
  
"Was he in love with the princess?"  
  
"He was more in love with the princess than anyone else in the whole world."  
  
"The whole, wide world?" Buffy's eyes widened.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, the other prince challenged the handsome prince to a duel."  
  
"A duel?"  
  
"A sword fight."  
  
"Oh. Did the handsome prince win?"  
  
"Well, the other prince was very good at sword fighting." Angel paused dramatically.  
  
"But not as good as the handsome prince." He said. Buffy heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
"That's good." She said.  
  
"And do you know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The prince and the princess lived happily ever after." He told her. Buffy beamed.  
  
"That's a good story." She said, sliding down and settling her head down onto the pillow.  
  
"Go to sleep now." He said softly. "Sweet dreams."  
  
"Goodnight Angel." She said, feeling safer than she had since Spike left her here.  
  
He wasn't scary after all. He switched the light off, but didn't leave the room until he was sure that she was sleeping. When he was sure, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and then went downstairs.  
  
***  
  
"Angel?" Cordelia asked sleepily from her position on the sofa.  
  
"Cordelia, why are you still here? Why didn't you go home?" He asked.  
  
"I wondered if you needed me to get anything for Baby Buffy." She said, businesslike. Angel smiled slightly.  
  
"You think she's cute." He said. Cordelia glared. "You do! You think she's the sweetest little girl you've ever met."  
  
"I do not! She's still Buffy." Cordelia said. Angel waited for a moment. "Fine! I think she's adorable. Especially when she didn't want Spike to leave." She finished. Angel's smile left his face.  
  
"He probably fed her junk food and sugary drinks." Angel said.  
  
"Probably. But she didn't seem to mind." Cordelia said. "Spike seemed positively brother-like."  
  
"He did, didn't he? Wonder what that was about?" Angel mused.  
  
"She needs clothes. Willow said that they only had that dress and her pyjamas left. And you know, who would keep their clothes from when they were little?"  
  
"I bet you did." Angel said. Cordelia's cheeks flushed red slightly.  
  
"Only my very special dresses." She said haughtily. Angel waited again, looking directly into her eyes.  
  
"Fine! I made my mother keep my Snoopy t-shirt even after I outgrew it. What's with the third degree?" Angel laughed at her. Then Cordelia did something one might imagine to be un-Cordelia. She laughed too.  
  
"We'll go and get her clothes tomorrow morning." Angel told her.  
  
"You? In daylight? That's not a great idea." Cordelia pointed out.  
  
"I was thinking that we'd go to some indoor shops." Angel told her. "If we use underground parking garages and I avoid direct sunlight, it should be OK."  
  
"Are you sure? I don't want you turning into extra-crispy Angel."  
  
"Neither do I. I checked the weather reports for tomorrow anyway. Very overcast all day."  
  
"That helps too." Cordelia said. She got up and took her bag. "Will you be OK with her for tonight?" Angel nodded.  
  
"Call if you need anything." Cordelia said.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I'll bring some breakfast stuff for her. You don't have anything she'd want to eat. Unless Giles forgot to mention that Little Buffy is a vampire."  
  
"I hope she isn't." Angel said.  
  
"Me too. Night Angel."  
  
"Night Cordy." He watched her leave and borrow his car to get home. Then, he turned, went up the stairs to bed. He suspected tomorrow was going to be a rather long day.  
  
***  
  
"Angel! Angel!" A voice called loudly, penetrating the thick fog of death- like sleep that had descended over him.  
  
He opened his eyes to find a small child bouncing on the end of his bed. Now he really wished he'd had enough energy last night to put on his pyjamas.  
  
"Buffy? What are you doing up already?"  
  
"It's time to go! Cordelia came and woke me up. She helped me with my buttons." Buffy said.  
  
"Did she tell you to wake me up?" He asked. Buffy nodded eagerly. He was going to kill Cordelia.  
  
"Why don't you go downstairs and tell her I'm awake and I'll be down in a minute?"  
  
"Kay!" Buffy jumped down off his bed and ran out of the room.  
  
He fell back down onto his bed. After a moment, he found the energy to get up, shower and get dressed. Then, he made his way downstairs, to find Cordelia and Buffy both eating bowls of cereal.  
  
"Morning Angel," Cordelia smiled innocently. He merely glared.  
  
"Morning Angel!" Buffy echoed. He smiled at her.  
  
"Good morning Buffy."  
  
"You took more than a minute." She said. Angel sat down.  
  
"I'm sorry. It took me longer than I thought."  
  
"Did you have buttons?" She asked. Angel looked at her quizzically. Cordelia filled him in.  
  
"Buffy can't do buttons yet. But she's getting better at it." She said.  
  
"No, I didn't have trouble with my buttons." Angel said. "I had to wait for hot water in the shower." Now it was Cordelia's turn to look sheepish.  
  
"Sorry. Mine's broken."  
  
"Cordy says we're going to the shops today." Buffy told Angel.  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Are we going to the toy shop?"  
  
"Maybe if Buffy's a good girl." Cordelia told her. She smiled up at Cordelia sweetly, who returned the smile.  
  
"What's the weather like?" He asked Cordelia.  
  
"Overcast all day. Rain intermittently. No sun at all. Lucky you." She took her empty bowl and Buffy's nearly empty bowl and put them aside.  
  
"Wes and Gunn will be here later. They'll deal with the..." She looked at Buffy, who was engrossed in playing with Angel's car keys. "The client from yesterday."  
  
Angel nodded, understanding.  
  
"Time to go, Buffy." Angel told her. She slid off her chair and took Cordelia's hand.  
  
***  
  
The mall was crowded with shoppers trying to avoid the abysmal weather outside. As he always did, Angel felt uncomfortable around large numbers of people. Their first stop was a children's clothing store.  
  
"Hi! How may I help you this morning?" An overly perky sales assistant appeared in front of Angel.  
  
"Uh, yes..." He seemed a little lost.  
  
"We need clothes. Lots of clothes." Cordelia chimed in. "For her." The assistant, whose nametag said CHARLENE, looked at Buffy.  
  
"Oh! Isn't she beautiful! How old is she?"  
  
"Four." Angel said, somewhat put off by Charlene.  
  
"You must be so proud of her." She said.  
  
"Oh, we're not her parents." Cordelia said quickly.  
  
"You're not?" Charlene's interest was piqued.  
  
"She's my niece." Angel improvised. "She had to come stay with us at the last minute and didn't bring any clothes. We need clothes." He said in a firm but polite voice.  
  
Charlene nodded and disappeared for a moment. Angel sat down in a chair next to a rack of party dresses.  
  
"Angel tired?" Buffy asked. He nodded.  
  
She went over and settled herself into his lap. A strange feeling came over Angel, one he had never really felt before. Contentment. This was right, in some strange way. But before he had time to contemplate that thought more, Charlene returned with another assistant and several racks of clothing.  
  
"Might I ask about..."  
  
"Money?" Angel asked, a little shortly. "Not a problem. She needs clothes." How many times did he have to say it? He noticed Charlene's eyes light up at the 'Not a problem' as she mentally calculated her commission.  
  
"Well, we've got lots of things here that are as pretty as her," She said.  
  
"I doubt that." Angel said. Buffy looked up at him.  
  
"Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked.  
  
"No. I think you're beautiful." Angel smiled down at her. She gave him a beautiful smile in return and put her little arms around his neck.  
  
"Aren't you two just the cutest?" Cordelia said from her position scrutinising the clothes with her expert eye.  
  
"Buffy, you need to come and try some of these on." Cordelia told her. Reluctantly, Buffy peeled herself off Angel and went over to her.  
  
"Cordy?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I don't want anything with buttons." Cordelia laughed.  
  
"OK."  
  
***  
  
An hour and a half later, the three emerged from the store, Cordelia and Buffy holding hands, swinging their arms and laughing loudly. Behind them Angel walked, laden with bags, slightly concerned that the sun might come out at any time. Fortunately the mall was almost devoid of natural light. They walked along, talking, joking, laughing. Then, Angel looked ahead and groaned inwardly. The next shop was JAKE'S PET STORE. What chance was there of Buffy not finding at least one animal too cute to pass up?  
  
"Look! Look!" Buffy bounced up and down, pointing at the pets in the window. "Puppy!" She said.  
  
Angel groaned again. It had to be a puppy. Of course. He was momentarily reminded of the time he nailed a puppy to....  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia said sharply. He turned to look at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"There is no way on this earth that we're getting Buffy a puppy." She said. "I am not cleaning up after a little dog." She insisted.  
  
"Come on Buffy," Angel said, taking her hand and trying to pull her away from the window.  
  
"No!" She yelled stubbornly, not moving. "Puppy!"  
  
"Buffy," Angel said in a low, warning voice. She stood her ground. He moved to look right into her face.  
  
"How about we think about it before we get a puppy? They take so much work."  
  
"I can do it." She said. Angel almost laughed at the vision of four year old Buffy looking after a puppy.  
  
"We'll think about it." Angel said. It was only partly a lie. He had thought about it, briefly. The answer, of course, was still no.  
  
***  
  
Fortunately, Buffy's attention was suddenly stolen from the puppy in the window by a loud little boy, screaming at the top of his lungs. She looked in interest at the boy, who was in the full throes of a tantrum. Smiling slyly, she opened her mouth. But before she could make a sound.  
  
"Don't even think about it young lady." Cordelia told her. She shut her mouth. Then, she noticed another shop. MR. P.F. GORDON'S TOYS, the shop front declared.  
  
"Toys!" She bounced up and down again, pulling suddenly on Angel's arm. He lurched forward, following Buffy into the crowded, noisy shop.  
  
"Look!" Buffy said, suitably awed by the huge shop. It had three stories and was decorated like an old fashioned toy shop.  
  
"Barbie!" She declared, pulling Angel in the direction of the pink section.  
  
"Isn't she a little young for these?" Angel asked Cordelia, when confronted by the shelves and shelves of blonde dentists, pilots, hairdressers, rock stars and beach babes.  
  
"Well, the box says not for children under 3. Maybe you could get her one."  
  
"Cordelia, why am I buying so much stuff? She's going..." He lowered his voice. "She's going to be twenty years old again soon."  
  
"Yeah, but we don't know when. Giles did say it could be weeks. Unless of course, you want to entertain a four year old all by yourself."  
  
"Fine." Angel said, a little annoyed.  
  
Buffy was trying valiantly to reach a particular Barbie. She had it by the bottom corner, and if she pulled it anymore she'd bring an entire shelf of Christmas Greetings Barbie tumbling down onto herself. Angel moved to stop her.  
  
"Don't do that Buffy, you'll hurt yourself. Which one do you want?" She pointed, and he pulled down a Princess Barbie.  
  
"This one?" She nodded eagerly.  
  
"She needs clothes too, right Buff?" Cordelia said, pulling several packages of Barbie clothes down from the shelf and into the cart she was pushing.  
  
"And a prince." Buffy said, pointing to the Prince Ken. Angel got it down for her.  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Well, I had an idea." Cordelia said.  
  
***  
  
They were standing in the middle of the largest collection of stuffed toys Angel had ever seen in his life. They were here for a puppy. Cordelia had told Buffy that this kind were even better than the real thing. Buffy had believed her and was now in the middle of choosing her perfect stuffed animal.  
  
"This one!" She said holding up a pink pig.  
  
"That's not a puppy, Buffy. That's a piglet." Cordelia pointed out.  
  
"I want this one." Buffy said, bottom lip quivering. Angel stepped in.  
  
"You want this pig?" He asked. She nodded. He smiled.  
  
"What are you going to call him?" He asked her. She brightened immeasurably.  
  
"I don't know!" She said.  
  
"Why don't we put him in the cart while you think?" Cordelia asked.  
  
Buffy shook her head, not willing to let go of her new friend. Angel looked down at her. How strange that she should pick an almost exact replica of her beloved Mr. Gordo. They continued through the shop directly to the checkout, where Angel ended handing over more money than he wanted to.  
  
"Shall we go home now?" Angel suggested. Buffy nodded tiredly.  
  
"Look, Angel!" Cordelia said suddenly. The mall cinema was showing Disney's Cinderella that very afternoon. Now it seemed that Cordelia was the child, bouncing up and down.  
  
"Come on Angel, we should take Buffy! Come on, it'll be fun." She said.  
  
Angel nodded. He didn't need any extra persuasion for the good clean fun of Cinderella and her mouse friends.  
  
***  
  
They emerged from the movie theatre some time later, all three of them cheered considerably. Buffy was singing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo rather loudly (and badly) and several people turned to frown, but on seeing the happy little girl smiled instead. Angel secured Buffy in the back of his car, waited for Cordelia to get in and then drove them all back to the hotel.  
  
"Did you have a nice day, Buffy?" Cordelia asked. The little girl nodded earnestly.  
  
"Yes!" She told her, still clutching her stuffed pig.  
  
Indeed, Buffy hadn't let go of it since she was given it. Even at the toy store she had held onto it firmly, not letting Angel take it from her long enough to give it to the woman at the checkout.  
  
"Do you have a name for him yet?" Cordelia sat down with Buffy while Angel brought in all the bags of shopping.  
  
"Mr Gordo." Buffy said. Angel stopped.  
  
"Why did you call him that?"  
  
"That was the name of the toy place." Buffy said. "Is it a good name?" She asked anxiously.  
  
"Yes, it's a good name." Angel told her. "How about we take you upstairs to bed?"  
  
"No, I don't wanna go to sleep." Stubborn Little Buffy was back.  
  
"Maybe you want to take a bath?" Cordelia suggested. Buffy shook her head emphatically.  
  
"No! Don't wanna bath." She said. She was getting crankier by the minute, a clear sign that she was tired.  
  
"Bath or bed?" Angel said. "One or the other."  
  
"Bed." Buffy said reluctantly.  
  
"OK." Angel picked her right up off the floor, and she giggled as he tucked her under his arm like a parcel.  
  
He took her upstairs and helped her get ready for bed. For each second that passed, he hoped that when Buffy was back to normal, she didn't remember any of this. If she did, she'd probably die of embarrassment. Finally, she was ready.  
  
"OK?" Angel asked, handing her Mr. Gordo. She nodded, yawning sleepily.  
  
"Story?" She asked.  
  
He began telling her a story remarkably similar to the story the night before, but she was so tired she was asleep before he got to the part about the handsome prince.  
  
*** 


	3. Nannies, Policewomen and Spikey, oh my!

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes- Chapter Three  
  
***  
  
"When will she be back to normal, Giles?" Angel asked over the phone later that evening.  
  
"Well... You see..." Giles paused. "It might not be for some time."  
  
"What?" Angel's voice echoed down the line.  
  
"The problem is that, well, Willow recalled that Buffy wished to be a child again the day before it happened. If this is the case, then whoever has done this will have created a very, very powerful spell. We might not be able to break it without them. And we have no leads on who it could be."  
  
"How long might she be like this?"  
  
"Weeks. Perhaps longer. Is everything OK there, Angel?" Giles asked.  
  
"Yes, it's all fine. It's just... I worry, that's all."  
  
"I know. So do I. But as long as nobody knows that the little girl living in your hotel is... Who she is, it should be OK. You have to protect her Angel."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Goodbye Angel."  
  
"Bye Giles."  
  
"Did he say how long?" Cordelia came in, seeing Angel replace the receiver into the cradle.  
  
"Weeks. Maybe months."  
  
"Months?" Cordelia looked surprised and shocked. Angel nodded.  
  
"I think you're going to have to find someone to look after her."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look Angel, Wesley and Gunn can't do all the demon fighting on their own, they need you. Did you see what state they were in when they arrived back last night? They need you."  
  
"Buffy needs me."  
  
"I know. Maybe you should think about getting a nanny for her, just for when you're not here."  
  
"A nanny?" Angel seemed sceptical.  
  
"It might be best."  
  
"I'll think about it." He said. "Really, I'll think about it."  
  
"What are we doing tomorrow?"  
  
"Not much. Maybe some research to help Giles down in Sunnydale." Angel told her.  
  
"OK. And nannies?"  
  
"And nannies." Angel finally agreed.  
  
***  
  
"My name is Esther Williams," The stern old lady told them. Angel repressed a smile at the thought of Esther Williams, MGM's swimming superstar.  
  
"I've been a nanny for forty years now. Your little Bunny will be just fine with me."  
  
"Buffy." Angel said.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Her name is Buffy,"  
  
"Yes, well... Nicknames are not always the most constructive things for children to have." She said in such a superior tone that Angel wanted to wring her neck. Within a few minutes, she was out of there.  
  
***  
  
"My name is Candy." She was blonde and would have looked more at home at the Playboy mansion with Hugh Hefner.  
  
"Candy. Do you have a last name, Candy?"  
  
"Sure... Candy Cane."  
  
"Candy Cane?" Angel asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well, it's not my real name. It's my stage name. I'm an actress. I'm just doing this nanny stuff to help pay the rent."  
  
"Really? Do you have any experience?"  
  
"Lots."  
  
"As a nanny?"  
  
"Well... No. Not really."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
***  
  
"I'm Helen Mason." She looked entirely ordinary, with mousy hair and plain clothes.  
  
"You have experience as a nanny?"  
  
"I've worked in this field for some years now."  
  
"Good. How long have you been a vampire, Ms Mason?" Angel asked calmly.  
  
She jumped up and went to attack him, but Cordelia was behind with a stake ready.  
  
"That was... Annoying." Angel said, brushing vampire dust off himself. "There aren't any good nannies available."  
  
"I'll look after her." Cordelia said. Angel looked at her strangely.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I'll look after her. After seeing all those people, even I can do a better job than that."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah. She's really not that bad. I mean, I probably should have thought of it sooner. Before you had to go through all... This." She pointed to the dust on the ground.  
  
***  
  
"Buffy! Buffy! BUFFY!" Cordelia yelled from another part of the hotel. Angel, Gunn and Wesley, returned from a demon hunt, exchanged wary looks. Then, a little blonde hurricane entered the room, headed straight for Angel.  
  
"Angel!" She screamed, giggling as she jumped at him.  
  
"You're all wet!" He said, putting her down again.  
  
"I know. Cordy gave me bath." Buffy wrinkled her nose up in distaste. She had on a little blue bathrobe, and her long blonde hair was dripping with water.  
  
"Cordelia hasn't finished." Cordelia came in. "Cordelia was interrupted when Buffy ran out to meet Angel." She added. Buffy pouted at Angel, but he wasn't going to buy into it.  
  
"Go." He told her. She pouted more. "The sooner you go in, the sooner you come out." He pointed out. Reluctantly, Buffy unlatched herself from him and went back with Cordelia.  
  
"She's so cute!" Gunn commented, smirking at Angel. Angel merely nodded.  
  
"But one day she'll be back to normal, and you won't be able to see her anymore." Wesley understood Angel's suddenly glum expression. Angel nodded again.  
  
"I like having her here. Whether she's twenty or four." He told them in a rare moment of openness.  
  
Sighing, he got up and walked up the stairs to his room. From there, however, he could hear Buffy and Cordelia laughing in the bathroom. Part of him wished that they could stay like this forever.  
  
***  
  
"Angel, Kate called." Cordelia told him the very next morning. She, Gunn and Buffy were eating doughnuts in the lobby of the hotel. Or rather, Cordelia was eating, Gunn and Buffy were playing with their doughnuts.  
  
"Gunn, you're such a child." Cordelia reprimanded. Gunn merely smiled up at her and resumed the game he and Buffy were so engrossed in.  
  
"What did Kate want?" Angel asked Cordelia.  
  
"She didn't really say. Just that she had a case she couldn't solve herself, and she wants you to go in and see her."  
  
"What about Buffy?"  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"I promised I'd take her to the park today."  
  
"Well..." Cordelia paused. "Stop in at the police station on your way to the park. Park? You, in the park? In the daytime? Awfully kamikaze of you."  
  
"A shaman friend of Wesley conjured up a temporary immunity spell for me."  
  
"And why haven't you done this before?"  
  
"Because this is the first time I knew about it. Ask Wes." Angel said. "Buffy, shall we go to the park now?" He asked the sugar covered girl. She smiled brightly, jumping off the sofa.  
  
"No!" Cordelia said firmly. "Stop. Turn. Wash hands." She commanded Buffy. Buffy pouted momentarily before running off into the bathroom. She emerged a couple of moments later, her face and hands no longer sticky.  
  
"We ready to go?" Angel asked her. She nodded eagerly. "See you later, guys!" He said.  
  
"Bye bye!" Buffy called back to the three as she was led outside by Angel.  
  
***  
  
Sunlight was strange to Angel. It was a little disorientating, but his eyes were slowly adjusting, thanks in part to the sunglasses Cordelia had shoved into his hands at the last minute. After battling through LA traffic, Angel pulled into the parking lot of Kate's police precinct.  
  
"Angel?" Buffy asked, a little confused.  
  
"We just have to stop here. Just for a minute, OK? Then we're going to the park."  
  
"OK." Buffy pouted slightly.  
  
"We're going to the park straight after this, OK?"  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise." Angel told her. She brightened up a little.  
  
He unbuckled her seatbelt and went round to open the door for her. They went inside the station, and Angel asked to see Kate. Buffy was a little overawed by it all. The room was full of people, policemen, all talking loudly on the phone or to each other.  
  
"Hi Kate," Angel said softly. Kate jumped up from her desk.  
  
"Hi! Angel," She said a little eagerly. Then, she noticed the somewhat intimidated little girl clutching Angel's hand.  
  
"Who's this?" She asked warily.  
  
"This is my friend Buffy." Angel smiled down at Buffy, who grinned back at him.  
  
"Really?" Kate seemed rather disinterested. "I need to speak to you about a case, Angel." She told him, all business now.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"In private."  
  
"Sure." Kate led them to the interview room. Angel sat Buffy down on a chair outside.  
  
"Now, stay right here, OK? If you have a problem, come and tell me. OK?" Buffy nodded. Angel and Kate then disappeared into the interview room.  
  
***  
  
Angel emerged from the interview room slightly frustrated. He had in fact, solved Kate's case several days ago, and in essence, this was a wasted journey.  
  
"Buffy?" He asked. The seat was empty. "Buffy?" His voice became full of worry.  
  
"What's the matter, Angel?" Kate emerged from the room behind him.  
  
"Where is she? Where's Buffy?"  
  
"Wasn't she sitting right here?"  
  
"Yes Kate, she was." He said, glaring dangerously.  
  
"I'm sure she's fine."  
  
"Or she might not be fine!" Angel's voice rose. Had someone found out who the little blonde girl was?  
  
"We'll find her Angel." Kate said, her eyes searching the busy room. Angel ran through the room, looking for Buffy.  
  
"Buffy!" He shouted, panic rising inside him. Buffy was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Buffy!" He called again.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy's voice called gaily. He spun around. Buffy was standing with a young policewoman, drinking a carton of juice.  
  
"Where did you go?" He asked her.  
  
"To get a drink."  
  
"I'm sorry. She said she was waiting for you. We thought we'd be back before you'd finish."  
  
"Rachel, that was a little remiss of you." Kate told her.  
  
"Remiss? Who just takes little girls away?" Angel asked roughly.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Rachel said.  
  
"Why didn't you even say anything?"  
  
"Kate told me you'd probably be a while. I thought..."  
  
"You thought?" Angel cut in angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry." Rachel was clearly upset now.  
  
"Angel," Buffy asked softly. His anger subsided.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can we go to the park now?" He nodded.  
  
"I am sorry."  
  
"You should've just knocked on the door to say something." Angel advised. Rachel nodded.  
  
"Thanks for looking after her." He managed to tell her. She merely nodded. Angel looked at Buffy and smiled.  
  
"Time for the park?" He asked, being answered with an emphatic nod. He smiled awkwardly at Rachel and Kate, before leading Buffy out of the building.  
  
***  
  
They arrived at the park a little while later. They walked through the park, and Angel watched affectionately as she played on the climbing frames and the jungle gym. But Buffy soon tired of this. Angel bought a soccer ball and he and Buffy began to play. Slowly, other children began joining them in their game, until perhaps ten children were all playing soccer.  
  
"Run, Buffy!" Angel called to her as she got the ball. She ran, laughing, and kicked the ball. It rolled past Angel into the makeshift goal.  
  
"Yay!" Buffy jumped up and down in glee. Angel scooped her up and swung her around several times, making her scream in delight.  
  
"Angel!" She yelled. "Put me down!" He did, and the dizzy little girl swayed, laughing.  
  
"I win?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, you win." He looked at his watch. "We should be going," He told her. She pouted.  
  
"I don't wanna."  
  
"But Spike's coming to see you. Remember?"  
  
"Really?" She grinned at the thought of her blond friend.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, we need to get back then, don't we?" She nodded. They walked back to the car, but as they got to the parking lot, Buffy tripped and fell.  
  
"Oww!" She yelled. Within a millisecond Angel was at her side. She had scraped her hand and arm badly. He scooped her into his arms and ran to the car. Tears streamed down her face  
  
"Shh, Buffy... Shh, you'll be OK." Angel told her, wishing at this point that they had never left the hotel. He secured her seatbelt and then drove off towards the nearest medical centre.  
  
***  
  
"You're a very brave girl," The doctor said, smiling at Buffy. Her face was tear-stained, but she was no longer crying. The doctor had cleaned up her hand where she'd cut and grazed it, and had given her a tetanus shot.  
  
"Am I brave?" Buffy asked Angel.  
  
"The bravest." He told her. And, he mused, she was, whether she was four or twenty. Buffy smiled at him.  
  
"Can we go now?" Buffy asked the doctor as he applied the dressing.  
  
"Sure. If you just keep it clean and dry, she'll be fine." The doctor told Angel. Angel carried Buffy out to the car.  
  
"Buffy can walk." She told him.  
  
"I know." He smiled at her. "Time to go see Spike, I suppose." Buffy grinned.  
  
***  
  
"Where have you been?" Cordelia demanded. "We've been worried... What happened?" She asked as she noticed Buffy's bandaged hand.  
  
"A little accident."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"The park. Not to mention Buffy getting lost at the police station."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Long story, tell you later. Hello Spike." Angel said, attempting to be civil.  
  
"Angelus." Spike nodded.  
  
"Spikey!" Buffy shouted, running to him.  
  
"Hey little bit," He said, smiling broadly as she jumped into his lap.  
  
"Do you like it here?" He asked, genuinely anxious. She nodded.  
  
"Lots and lots."  
  
"Not scary at all, is it?"  
  
"No. Spikey, you were right." Buffy said solemnly.  
  
"Has Angel been looking after you?" She nodded. Suddenly, she jumped off his lap and shot upstairs. For a minute or two, they stood, confused, until she returned clutching Mr. Gordo, and several other toys.  
  
"This is Mr. Gordo," She said, introducing Spike to the pig.  
  
"Mr. Gordo?"  
  
"Yeah. This is Princess Buffy." She handed him the blonde Barbie. He smirked. "This is Princess Cordelia." She handed him a dark-haired Barbie. Cordelia smiled proudly.  
  
"Who's this?" Spike asked as she handed him the Prince Ken doll she'd picked out.  
  
"This is Prince Angel." She said with a smile. Spike began to laugh, but covered it up with a cough.  
  
"Prince Angel?" He repeated. She nodded, climbing into his lap again.  
  
"Can we play Barbie?" She asked him sweetly.  
  
At that moment, Angel knew that no matter what happened in his life, he could always blackmail Spike with the story of how he had once played Barbie with a four year old girl. A slayer, no less.  
  
*** 


	4. Dreams Can Come True...

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes- Chapter Four  
  
***  
  
"Did Giles mention anything about getting her changed back?" Angel asked Spike later. They had finally managed to get her to go to sleep. Spike had even told her a bedtime story.  
  
"He said he had a couple of leads. Maybe not long now." Spike told him. "But they have to find this Sorcerer guy first of all. Then they have to persuade him to reverse the spell. Fortunately, nobody in Sunnydale knows about Buffy being... Baby Buffy."  
  
"Good."  
  
"How is she?" Spike asked. Angel noted the concern in Spike's voice, but said nothing about it.  
  
"She's good. She's Buffy as a four year old. Just, in fact, as I imagined her." Angel smiled.  
  
"Bloody Hell, regular soft fool, aren't you?" Spike mocked him. Angel merely nodded.  
  
"I guess I must be." He said, a little smile on his lips.  
  
"I should be getting back." Spike told him. "They might need some help when they find whoever did this."  
  
"You're in love with her?" Angel asked, realising. Then, echoing a conversation from long ago, Spike simply answered.  
  
"Aren't you?" And all Angel could do was nod sadly.  
  
***  
  
Angel could hear her. She sounded scared. She wasn't screaming, exactly, more like whimpering. Was he dreaming or was it really her? He opened his eyes and couldn't hear anything at all. He sat up, all his senses on alert.  
  
"Mommy!" Buffy's voice pierced through the night air. Angel leapt out of bed and ran into her room. Buffy was lying in bed, clearly in the throes of a nightmare.  
  
"Buffy," He called to her, "Buffy!" She woke up, scared out of her mind and tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Mommy?" She asked.  
  
"No Buffy," He pulled the little girl into his arms.  
  
"Angel?" She asked.  
  
"That's right, Buffy."  
  
"There was a monster."  
  
"A monster?"  
  
"Yeah. Awful big."  
  
"What did it look like?"  
  
"It was green and icky." She said. Angel heaved a sigh of relief. It sounded more like a childish nightmare than any kind of prophecy.  
  
"It had big arms." She added.  
  
"It's gone now, Buffy. If anymore monsters come, I'll fight them."  
  
"You will?" Her eyes were dry now and she smiled a little.  
  
"I will." He promised her.  
  
"Good. You're a great poof." She said. Angel looked at her strangely.  
  
"Who told you that?"  
  
"Spikey said you were a great poof."  
  
"Oh. Well, Spikey was wrong."  
  
"Is it a bad thing?"  
  
"You shouldn't call people stuff like that, sweetheart." Angel told her.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault. It's Spike's fault."  
  
"Are you going to tell him off?"  
  
"Quite probably." Angel pulled the covers over her. "Go back to sleep now."  
  
"I don't want to." Buffy told him stubbornly. "What if the monsters come back?"  
  
"They wouldn't dare. And if they did, I'd fight them."  
  
"OK." Buffy slid down into her bed, yawning. "Night Angel."  
  
"Good night Buffy." He sat watching her for some time, until he was sure that there would be no more bad dreams. If Spike hadn't already left, he would've wrung the blond vampire's neck.  
  
***  
  
"Angel! Angel!" Buffy's voice cut through his dream of Buffy's twenty year old self. Opening his eyes rather reluctantly, Angel came face to face with the four year old sitting on his chest.  
  
"What are you doing up, Buffy?" He asked, glancing at the clock. It wasn't yet seven in the morning.  
  
"Buffy wants to play!" She jumped up and down. If he had to breathe, he would have been winded.  
  
"Buffy, don't jump like that." He sat up and placed the little girl by his side.  
  
"Why don't I read you a story?"  
  
"Read a story?"  
  
"Sure." He got up and found the copy of Cinderella he had bought for Buffy. He got back into bed and Buffy settled down into his arms.  
  
"Once upon a time..." He began.  
  
***  
  
"Angel? Angel? Buffy?" Cordelia called out into the large, empty lobby of the Hyperion. Sighing, she climbed up the stairs to Buffy's room. It was empty. A feeling of panic began to rise inside her. Where was the little girl at seven thirty in the morning? Should she check Angel's room, just in case? She pondered this for a moment or two, before deciding that it was the best thing to do. She cracked the door open silently, then wider.  
  
Her heart just melted when faced with the scene. Angel was lying in bed, fast asleep, the little blonde girl curled up also fast asleep in his arms. The book he had been reading lay, still open next to them on the bed. Cordelia sighed. They looked so sweet and content. She moved silently away down the stairs. She searched Angel's office until she found his camera, and went back upstairs to capture the moment on film forever.  
  
***  
  
"How's everything going, Giles?" Angel asked.  
  
"It's really going rather well, actually." Giles told him. "We've located the Sorcerer and now all we need to do is persuade him to reverse the spell.  
  
"How can you do that?"  
  
"Well, Willow and Tara have some magic of their own, but I believe..."  
  
"Violence?" Angel asked.  
  
"Indeed." Giles agreed. "Spike and Xander will, uh..."  
  
"I get it. Do you need help?"  
  
"No. I think your efforts are best spent protecting her." Giles told him.  
  
"All right then. When do you think it might be resolved?"  
  
"It may be awhile. I'll contact you later." Giles promised.  
  
"Sure. Bye Giles." Angel put the phone down.  
  
"Still nothing?" Cordelia asked from her position on the floor playing Barbie with Buffy.  
  
"They've found who did the spell. Now all they have to do is get it reversed." He told her. Cordelia nodded.  
  
"You don't want Buffy to leave, do you?" She asked. Angel shook his head.  
  
"I don't wanna leave!" Buffy chimed in.  
  
"Don't you want to go home?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"I like it here." Buffy's bottom lip stuck out as it always did when she became stubborn.  
  
"Then you won't leave just yet." Angel told her with a smile.  
  
Hopefully, she wouldn't remember this when she became older Buffy. Or did he want her to remember? She'd already lost an entire day spent with him some time ago. He had adored the time spent with Little Buffy. No, Angel didn't want her to forget all of this. He didn't want to forget it. Angel wasn't sure he even wanted it to end.  
  
***  
  
Giles had arrived home exhausted. Persuading the Sorcerer had taken a while.  
  
***  
  
"Angel?" Buffy's little voice called. Angel sat up in his bed, wondering what she might want now.  
  
"Yes Buffy?"  
  
"I'm scared." She came into his room, Mr. Gordo clutched in her little hands.  
  
"Of what, sweetheart?" Angel was immediately concerned.  
  
"There's monsters in my room."  
  
"No there aren't." Angel said. Seeing Buffy's scared face, he got up. "I'll go see, OK? Stay right here." She nodded.  
  
He went into the room next door and switched the light on. Nothing. His vampire senses felt nothing. Then he turned the light off again. Where Cordelia had tidied Buffy's toys, they cast eerie shadows on the wall. Smiling a little, he went back to Buffy.  
  
"There's no..." He trailed off. Buffy had slid under his covers with Mr. Gordo and was already fast asleep.  
  
He couldn't help smiling softly at the beautiful vision. If he and Buffy ever had children, he hoped they were just like her. Stubborn and wilful but sweet and kind too. He got into bed and pulled the little girl securely into his arms. Yes, if he was ever lucky enough, he wanted his children to be just like her.  
  
***  
  
"Angel! We have it! We have the reversal spell." Giles told him excitedly down the phone.  
  
"You do?" Angel's heart fell. He didn't really want Little Buffy to leave.  
  
"We will start the spell at eight. All you have to do is get Buffy to wish."  
  
"Wish what?"  
  
"Well, it could be anything, but you should get her to wish that everything is back to normal. That should restore her true self."  
  
"OK."  
  
"That's eight this evening, Angel. You won't forget?"  
  
"Of course not Giles."  
  
"Xander is on his way up to Los Angeles so he can bring her home."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thank you for doing all this, Angel. I can't imagine it was very easy."  
  
"Not at all, she's a good kid."  
  
"That's not what I meant." Giles said.  
  
"It's OK, Giles."  
  
"Good. Bye then, Angel."  
  
"Bye." Angel put the phone down and turned to Cordelia.  
  
"It's over." He said sadly.  
  
"That's good, right?" Cordelia asked gently, herself feeling a curious sense of loss.  
  
"Right." Angel nodded. She didn't buy it any more than he expected her to.  
  
***  
  
"Now, Buffy, are you ready to make your wish?" Angel asked.  
  
As Giles had instructed, he had the girl ready in the lobby of the hotel at eight. The little girl, still clutching Mr. Gordo, nodded. She didn't really know why Angel wanted her to wish for something silly like everything being back to normal. That seemed like a dumb wish. She began to think, could she come up with something better? The phone rang, and Cordelia leapt for it.  
  
"Hello, Angel... Hi Giles. Sure." She handed Angel the phone, before going over to Buffy and straightening the little girl's dress.  
  
"Are you ready Buffy?" She asked, a lump rising in her throat. She would deny it to her dying day, but Cordelia Chase had become attached to the girl.  
  
"Ready." Buffy answered. Angel came over.  
  
"OK? Ready to wish?" He asked, hugging her tightly.  
  
Now Buffy was a little scared. Why were they acting so weirdly? Maybe her new wish would help.  
  
"One... Two... Three..." Angel prompted. At exactly eight o'clock, Buffy said:  
  
"I wish to live happily ever after!"  
  
***  
  
Angel and Cordelia exchanged worried looks. What had Buffy said? What was going to happen? The room was filled with the brightest light any of them had seen, and they closed their eyes against it. Buffy's laughter echoed through the room. After a moment or two, the light died away and Cordelia opened her eyes.  
  
"Buffy?" She asked, her eyes adjusting slowly to the light. Buffy aged twenty was lying on the floor of the lobby, torn four-year-old size clothing around her. Cordelia grabbed the blanket on the sofa and draped it over her.  
  
"Cordelia?" Buffy asked, confused.  
  
"Hi. Do you remember anything?" She asked. Buffy sat for a moment, still clutching Mr. Gordo.  
  
"Uh..." She paused. Her eyes widened in shock and horror. "Yes. You.... You gave me baths!" She accused Cordelia.  
  
"Sorry." Cordelia said insincerely. A gasp behind her alerted her to Angel. Like Buffy, he was lying on the floor. He was lying on the floor gasping for breath.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Angel?" Buffy and Cordelia spoke at the same time.  
  
"Buffy?" He asked, his eyes opening. "You're older again." He noted.  
  
"Yep." Then it occurred to her. "You're breathing!" She exclaimed. He nodded.  
  
"It would seem so." Cordelia said. Angel was disoriented and still having difficulty breathing. But he said one word before slumping onto the floor.  
  
"Oracles."  
  
***  
  
When he felt stronger, Angel made his way straight to the Post Office and underneath to the portal.  
  
"I beseech access to the knowing ones..." He started the ritual.  
  
"Come before us, warrior." A male voice called.  
  
"Hi," Angel said. The Oracles were back, more or less as they had been before Vocah slew them.  
  
"You have a gift?" The female Oracle asked. He pulled a small box from his coat. It flew across the room to her.  
  
"Tiffany's Lucida cut engagement ring in platinum." He told her.  
  
"So beautiful. Like ice." She said.  
  
"What is it you want to know, warrior?" The male asked imperiously. He might not consider Angel a lower being anymore, but that didn't make him any less pompous.  
  
"I'm human."  
  
"A dream is a wish your heart makes." The female Oracle told him. "Ask the girl."  
  
"Buffy? It's permanent this time? I'm not going to have to come back again?"  
  
"The powers say yes. Go in peace, warrior." The male Oracle said. Next thing Angel knew, he was outside again.  
  
***  
  
"What did they say?" Buffy was dressed at the door when he arrived. Xander too, was there, having battled through LA traffic.  
  
"They said a dream is a wish your heart makes. They told me to ask you." He told Buffy.  
  
"A dream is a wish your heart makes?" Buffy mused. She wandered around the lobby, deep in thought. She leaned on the counter. Lying there was the book of Cinderella Angel had read to her.  
  
"That's it!" She yelled. Angel shot over to her.  
  
"I wished to live happily ever after." She said excitedly. "This is it! Angel, happy ever after!" She was jumping up and down.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wished to live happily ever after. I thought the wish you wanted me to say was silly. You're still all strong, right? But you're a real, live, flesh and blood human. That's happy ever after!"  
  
Tears began to form in her eyes for a moment, before it became a torrent of tears. Angel wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"What's the matter, Buffy?" He asked softly. She sniffled.  
  
"Happy ever after? You want happy ever after, don't you?" She asked him. He nodded.  
  
"More than anything. More than anything." He told her, tears forming in his eyes too.  
  
***  
  
Angel and Wesley returned wearily from another busy night of demon slaying. The house was all quiet, eerily so. Then, a screech pierced through the air. They exchanged wary glances with each other. Then suddenly, a door opened and a little blonde hurricane entered the room, headed straight for Angel.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy!" She screamed, giggling as she jumped into his arms.  
  
"You're all wet," He said, kissing the four year old girl on the forehead.  
  
"I know. Mommy gave me a bath."  
  
"Mommy hasn't finished." Buffy came into the room, her shirt somewhat damp.  
  
"Mommy!" She whined.  
  
"No." Buffy was firm. So, the little girl turned and looked into deep brown eyes.  
  
"Daddy!" She used her most persuasive tone.  
  
"Katie Scarlett, go and finish your bath." He put her down. "Now."  
  
"Daddy!" She sounded more angry and stubborn now.  
  
"If you go and finish your bath, I'll read Cinderella to you."  
  
"You will?" She asked excitedly. He nodded. She scrutinised him closely.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise." She accepted it and went off to finish her bath.  
  
Then, when she was all washed, dry and ready for bed, she and Angel snuggled up onto her bed to read Cinderella. When Buffy came in, she found both fast asleep, Cinderella forgotten, as it had been once before.  
  
THE END 


End file.
